The Battle Begins
by thelilacfield
Summary: In the swirling snows of Antarctica, Harry, Ron and Hermione are about to face a battle. But what are they really fighting for?


The Battle Begins

The trio walked slowly through the swirling snowstorms, buffeted by the howling winds, wands alight and the only speck of light in the darkness. No clue came as to the location of the ancient evil, no action or spoken word. They were hopelessly lost in Antarctica. The darkness seemed to be preying on their overactive imaginations. No one was sure which way was up, which down. And they had the strangest sensation that something was following them.

Eventually they had to set up camp for the night. A tent was assembled by magic and a warming charm cast on the general area. All three slept in at least three jumpers, shivering under mounds of blankets and a sleeping bag. There were no sounds through the night. Used to as he was the snores and murmurs of a full dormitory, it took Harry a long time to fall asleep surrounded by an odd silence.

The next day was much the same - freezing, snowing and dark. But it was an important day.

"If we don't get that thing today, Ginny will die," Ron said hollowly as they ate rubbery burnt porridge that Hermione had done her best with. Harry nodded slowly in agreement.

"Harry Potter," hissed a voice. All three whirled around to see Ginny standing in the doorway, her eyes glowing red. Hermione raised her wand, her face terrified but her hand strong.

"Don't you touch him," she hissed. Harry was surprised to hear the anger in her voice. The monster threw back its head and laughed.

"I wouldn't dream of touching your boyfriend!" it said, shooting a disdainful look at a confused-looking Ron. "It is the Potter I have come for. I will only hurt you if you stand in my way."

"If you want to kill one of us, you'll have to go through the other two," said Ron, his voice shaking quite as much as his hand. "That's the way it works." The monster was silent for a moment.

"I can cope with that," it whispered. Then it hit Ron with a punch as hard as steel, sending him flying across the tent, smashing into the wall and sliding to the floor. Hermione let out a squeal of terror as the monster approached. She shot a strange orange liquid from her wand that hit the monster's eyes. It roared with pain.

"Harry, run!" Hermione screamed, as Ron dazedly got to his feet. "We'll hold him off." Harry stood his ground. If he left Hermione and Ron would be in terrible danger. But one look at their faces and he knew that he had to. With a heavy feeling in his heart, he turned and ran.

The cold was punishing, wind biting into Harry's face like a knife drawn across his cheek. His feet sank into the snow with every stride and he could still hear the monster's evil laugh, echoing through the white landscape, following him. The snow seemed to be closing in on him, the laughter echoing in his ears as his mother's screams did when Dementors approached.

"No!" Harry shouted. "I've got to fight." He whispered the spell and his silvery stag Patronus leapt from his wand. "Light the way," Harry whispered. The stag walked ahead of him, the snow retreating from its presence and the laughter a mere background annoyance, like a fly buzzing around a room. Harry followed it, keeping his wand raised and surveying the walk ahead.

Harry and his stag had been walking for a long time when Harry heard a faint, but no less terrifying, scream.

"Hermione!" he shouted. The stag vanished in a wisp of silvery smoke and the laughter once more filled Harry's ears, the snow obscuring his vision. Harry ran back towards the tent, his feet touching the ground so little he might have been flying. They were in danger, he had to reach them.

Harry found Ron wielding the enormous Gryffindor's sword, the monster slowly advancing on him while Hermione shot ineffectual sparks from her wand.

"Harry, you shouldn't have come back!" she screamed. "It'll kill you!"

"I don't care," Harry shouted. "There is no way you are dying for me. Ron, kill it!"

Ron raised the sword high above his head.

For the horrified audience, it was burnt into their brains for eternity. As Ron prepared to stab the creature, its eyes became Ginny's again. They were brown, terrified and she was cowering away from Ron.

"Ron, you wouldn't hurt me!" she screamed. "I'm your sister!" For a moment, Ron faltered.

"Ron, don't!" Hermione screamed, her frantic words swept away by the wind. "It's not Ginny, its evil. Kill it!"

But it was too late. The monster had seized the sword and it was positioned perfectly to run Ron through, no doubt killing him instantly.

"NO!"

Harry tried to grab Hermione, but her strength was remarkable. She'd escaped his grip before he'd managed to firmly seize her, dashed forward and crashed into Ron, knocking him sideways, away from the menacing blade. The creature's howl of rage was drowned by a scream of pain and an anguished yell.

Harry leapt out from his hiding place and ran forward, barely able to see in the whirling snowstorm. Then he saw a flash of red hair.

"Hermione!" Ron was shouting, his voice strangled by sobs. "Hermione, Hermione, Hermione, please don't die!"

Harry knelt by his best friends, tears pricking his eyes. Hermione had been deeply cut by the blade and, though he willed her to live, he could feel her life force ebbing away. Her eyes were still open, and she was gazing at Ron. Her hand fluttered weakly to his cheek.

"**Doubt thou the stars are fire,**

**Doubt that the sun doth move,**

**Doubt truth to be a liar,**

**But never doubt I love," **she whispered. Her hand fell to the ground and she was still.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled, tears flowing down his face as he shook her. "Don't leave me, don't leave me, I'll die without you!"

Harry looked up, eyes filled with tears and saw only the monster, teeth bared in an evil grin, still holding the sword that had killed Hermione.

"I'll kill you!" he shouted tearfully, unable to look away from the sight of Ron desperately shaking Hermione.

"Harry James Potter," said the monster, seeming to savour each word. "Prepare to die."

**A/N: The quote is Shakespeare, from Hamlet. I thought it suited the situation perfectly. Hope you enjoyed this. If there is anything someone would like to see happen in the next story, review and tell me!**


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